


Dehydration

by orphan_account



Category: Cookie Run (Video Game)
Genre: Accidental Plot, Dehydration, Denial of Feelings, Heartbreak, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Major Illness, Mutual Pining, Possibly Unrequited Love, Rejection, Slow Burn, Teamwork, Unconsciousness, Whump, lots of crying. lots and LOTS of crying, sparkling cookie is awkward, vampire cookie needs help
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-14 21:41:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28927497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The pitter-patter of the heavy rain supplied the only noise for the street._____During Sparkling Cookie's walk home, he encounters an almost unconscious Vampire Cookie. Sparkling Cookie's assistance tumbles the duo into an adventure of both love and hate. Will they make it out with their hearts intact? Or will feelings be hurt?
Relationships: Sparkling Cookie/Vampire Cookie (Cookie Run)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	1. The Walk Home and the Walk Back

**Author's Note:**

> this will be a chapter fanfic, slightly self indulgent, but otherwise yada yada hope you enjoy, also alchemist and vampire live together but the house is referred to as only alchemists and everyone has everyone's number

The pitter-patter of the heavy rain supplied the only noise for the street.

Sparkling Cookie had just gotten off from his job and had begun walking home. He'd always get off work late into the night, so it's not like he had anyone or anything to see. The only notable thing on his walk home tonight was the glistening sidewalk, which was slightly damp due to the rain. And something else. The bartender gasped in surprise as he felt his foot hit something black and large. The mass moved around weakly as Sparkling Cookie stumbled backward a bit before a hint of red hair made it apparent that the mass he had kicked was another _cookie._ The cookie groaned in pain as Sparkling walked towards them, pulling back the cape to reveal a rather delirious Vampire Cookie.

_A regular? He hadn't seen Vampire at all today, so this incident couldn't be alcohol-related. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen Vampire at all today. Normally he'd see him through the windows on days where he didn't stay for most of the night. Even then, he'd usually come in to say hello. But outright never visiting was unusual and strange for him._

"Vampire, are you okay?"

Sparkling appeared heavily concerned as Vampire attempted to get up, only to collapse onto the hard pavement. The vampire remained motionless as Sparkling Cookie's mind raced with a solution. The sun would be rising soon, which would harm Vampire Cookie. He could take the vampire to a nearby hospital. He could bring him to Alchemist Cookie's house, considering Vampire also lived there. As Vampire Cookie slipped back into unconsciousness on the pavement, Sparkling Cookie made up his mind. He would bring Vampire Cookie to Alchemist Cookie's before the sun rose, and write it off as an unrelated incident. After all, whatever illness Vampire was suffering from could be solved by her. Since Vampire was unconscious and didn't show any signs of getting up, Sparkling opted to scoop him into his arms and get moving from there. Dragging him would've taken too long, and leaving him there was certainly not an option. The bartender began trying to move as fast as he could with the unconscious Vampire in his arms, concern on his face as he began trying his hardest to get his cellphone out of his pockets. Sparkling Cookie almost dropped both Vampire Cookie and his phone but slowed down to grab it. As he began running again, he opened his text messages and scrolled down until Alchemist Cookie's contact appeared onscreen. Normally he'd use it for when Vampire could not walk home due to being drunk, but this situation was different. He hesitated internally. Would alchemist even be awake at this time? What would she even think? Would she answer? Sparkling Cookie gulped before pressing the "call" button.  
  
  
"Hello?" Sparkling Cookie sighed in relief as Alchemist's voice picked up from the line.  
"Urgh, did Vampire Cookie get drunk again?! And in this state?! I swear when he gets home, I'm gonna-" Alchemist was interrupted by Sparkling Cookie, who had stated urgently, "Mam, please!"  
  
"Vampire didn't even show up today. Matter-of-fact, the one time I saw him today, he was unconscious and lying on the pavement. I'm not even sure what to do, and the only valid option at the moment is dropping him off at your house."  
  
Sparkling Cookie's pace slowed in worry as Alchemist stayed silent on the phone. There's no way she would hang up with her brother like this, even if she normally dislikes him...She couldn't possibly. Suddenly, the Alchemist began to speak.  
  
"I knew I shouldn't have let him go outside...Vampire Cookie's been rather sickly lately. And he refuses to drink any blood. Just take him here, I'll handle this."  
  
Sparkling sighed as the phone call ended with a click. If Vampire was ill, why did he go outside? What was he even trying to do? And why did Sparkling feel concerned for him...? Sparkling's thoughts were interrupted as he felt the familiar feeling of warmth. **Daylight.** The bartender had no clue of how long he had been running, only knowing it had been a while, and a long one at that. But the sunlight was dangerous to Vampire Cookie and could be downright deadly to him in this state. Sparkling Cookie quickened his pace, trying to ignore the intense out of breath feeling. There was no time to think, only run. Surely, he couldn't be far from Alchemist Cookie's house by now. He'd been running for a long while by now, after all. His view of the street became less and less obscured as the sun rose. Sparkling Cookie shifted the vampire's weight into one of his arms as he used his other hand to cover Vampire Cookie's head from the dangerous rays of the sun. He knew his hand would provide almost no safety from the sun's rays, yet did so anyway to provide the extra coverage. Then, he saw it. Alchemist Cookie's house. Sparkling Cookie's motions became more and more desperate as he uncovered his hand from Vampire's head. As the house got closer and closer, he felt the vampire's temperature begin to rise. Sparkling Cookie noticed Vampire Cookie begin to stir awake, but ignored him in favor of getting to Alchemist Cookie's house. He moved from the sidewalk to the shade of Alchemist's porch before shifting Vampire Cookie's weight in his arms to knock on the door.   
  
A solid 30 seconds passed before Sparkling Cookie began to worry. What would he do if he were stuck like this? He wouldn't be able to carry Vampire Cookie due to the hospital, considering he were already tired from running to Alchemist's house. Just as Sparkling began to reach into his pockets for his phone, Alchemist opened the door frantically. Sparkling didn't hesitate to move inside, noticing Vampire beginning to awaken just a bit more. Alchemist appeared slightly disheveled as she began speaking.  
  
"Quick, bring him in! God, why did I let him go out...I'm so sorry you had to carry him, Sparkling Cookie."  
  
Sparkling Cookie shrugged, seemingly indifferent about Alchemist's profuse apologizing. After all, he should be used to having to carry drunk patrons out of his bar. Except Vampire wasn't drunk, he was sick. And Sparkling had helped him without needing to. _Why was he doing this? Shouldn't he have kept walking? Why did he genuinely feel concerned for Vampire Cookie...?_ Sparkling Cookie shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind, before focusing on Alchemist Cookie, who was pacing back and forth. Sparkling sat down in a nearby chair, tired from the constant running and the adrenaline of seeing Vampire in such a state.  
  
"This is terrible...I let him go out to talk for a bit, and the next time I see him, it's five hours later, and he's NOT EVEN CONSCIOUS. Why, why, why..."   
  
Sparkling Cookie shuddered in concern. He couldn't stand seeing Vampire in such pain, but he didn't know what to do about it. The only option he had was to leave Alchemist's house and pretend this incident had never happened.  
  
"Alchemist, I hope it's not an inconvenience, but...I'll be going now. I'm tired." Alchemist's rant was interrupted by the sound of the front door shutting. Sparkling was nowhere to be found as she looked around the area where he previously was. Alchemist Cookie took a moment to calm down before dragging the barely conscious Vampire Cookie to his room.  
  
_____________________________________  
  
  
"Hey, I'm at home. Is Vampire okay?"  
  
"Not sure, I've put him in his room. He's still only had very little to drink...I'm not sure what's wrong. He has a strong fever, but it's gone down a bit since I gave him medicine."  
  
"Got it. I'll come over tomorrow. Try to make him drink some if he's awake. He may not like it, but it's necessary."  
  
"Thanks for the help, Sparkling. I'll try. See ya."  
  
*click.*  
  
Sparkling Cookie sighed as the call ended. He'd felt concerned for Vampire Cookie ever since he'd found him on the pavement that very morning. _Why did he care about Vampire Cookie so much? What was wrong with him...?_ Sparkling sighed, insisting to himself that his feelings would most likely disappear after getting sleep. After all, he'd wasted most of his energy on helping Vampire Cookie. The bartender yawned as he began settling down for bed, knowing that when he woke up he'd have to work.  
As his eyes closed, he struggled to sleep. His mind was still full of thoughts, most of them being about the Vampire, and how he was doing. But he'd have to shove these feelings down in the name of work. As Sparkling struggled to settle down and sleep, his mind raced in an attempt to rid his thoughts of Vampire Cookie.  
  
  
They're not real. _They're not real. **They're. Not. Real.**_


	2. Sparkling's Shift and Vampire's Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sparkling Cookie needs help. And sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha sorry, this chapter is kinda short because my internet went out and my bones are really sore,,

"May I have a lemonade, please?"  
  
Sparkling Cookie snapped out of his sleep deprivation-induced daydream at the sound of Herb Cookie's voice. The bartender spent his time off for that day trying to sleep, yet he were dead tired. His normally fashionable hair seemed a bit unkempt, just barely presentable for his job. His eyes were sunken, the smile on his face cold. Clearly, something was wrong. Something almost everyone who had entered prior to now detected. Every single time, Sparkling Cookie ignored the patron's questions, claiming it as a mistake in getting ready. But Sparkling knew the truth. He knew exactly why he were so tired today. He just didn't want to confront it. His mind raced as he began preparing a lemonade for the gardener, who had been patiently waiting for far too long in his eyes. Sparkling Cookie didn't even have to ask Herb for the right amount of sugar cubes, seeing as Herb were a regular. Herb always ordered a lemonade, with exactly three sugar cubes, and no more. He wasted no time placing the cubes in the glass filled with the crisp looking lemonade and handing it to Herb, this time with his usual amount of flair. The bar had always been almost empty during this time of the day, considering the sun were just barely peeking over the horizon. The only person he interacted with during this brief period of time had always been Herb Cookie, who tended to wake up rather early. And then the door opened.  
  
In walked a rather weak looking Vampire Cookie, accompanied by Alchemist Cookie. Herb greeted the two of them kindly, while Sparkling stood there in shock. Vampire Cookie...actually showed up? The bartender began preparing for the two to order, his mind racing the entire time. _Why would Vampire Cookie even think about visiting in his current state?! Especially after what happened?! Why would he even consider this?! He needs rest!_ Sparkling Cookie snapped out of his thoughts yet again as Alchemist cleared her throat.  
  
"Sparkling Cookie, Vampire's here to say something." The alchemist made a gesture towards Vampire Cookie, who hesitated before speaking. "...thanks for helping me out back then, Sparkling. There's no way I would've made it home in time." Alchemist Cookie suddenly looked at Vampire Cookie with concern. "What?! You knew you wouldn't make it back in time?! Why did you ask to go out in the first place?!" Alchemist stopped her ranting as Vampire sighed indifferently. The vampire looked down in disappointment, as he began muttering. "Calm down. I didn't want him to worry. You'd know that by now. I always visit-"  
  
The vampire looked up in slight shock as he shakily covered his mouth with one of his hands, the words just now beginning to set in. Why did he apologize? Why did he say he didn't want Sparkling to worry...?! Why did.... _why did..._ his hand shook as his body began to weaken, his legs beginning to give out. The vampire took a seat in one of the chairs as Alchemist Cookie began to appear concerned, voicing her pleas for the two to begin heading home. Sparkling and Herb watched in the distance as the siblings conversed. Herb had no problem with these events. Sparkling, who had since put the preparations back, stood there in shock and fear. Did Vampire Cookie feel genuine concern for him? Why would he be concerned about anyone but himself?! And why does he even care about someone like him...? The fear in Sparkling Cookie began to become noticeable as his face twisted into a mix of worry and terror. Whatever he were feeling for Vampire, he didn't like it. And no matter how hard he tried to avoid it, he simply couldn't. Every time he'd try to ignore the feelings, they'd show up and haunt him, to the point of not getting any sleep. Sparkling Cookie only had one option, and that was to confront the feeling. The feeling that he had indeed fallen for the Vampire, who he had met countless times before this incident.  
  
"Vampire, we gotta get home! You're seriously sick right now!" Vampire Cookie stumbled as Alchemist Cookie partially dragged him off of the chair and towards the exit. One of the main reasons Vampire agreed to leave this early were that he'd made it far too awkward for himself after stating he were concerned for Sparkling Cookie. Vampire muttered a brief "Goodbye" as the two walked out of the bar. Herb stared at the door before shifting his attention to Sparkling, whose smile had since faltered into a frown. Herb spoke up, his tone of voice mildly concerned. "...Sparkling, are you okay? You've been acting kinda strange ever since I got here-" Herb's questioning had been cut off short by Sparkling Cookie's stern, albeit slightly shaky, voice.  
  
"Herb, it's ok. Don't worry about it. I just got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, if you really wish to know." Sparkling paused as the clock on the wall behind the bar began to play a familiar chime, the chime that played at the end of his shift. "Sorry Herb, but the bar's going to close now. This drink's on me." Herb politely obliged and began to leave, waving and stating a cheerful "Thank you" before leaving. The exit shut with a thud, and as soon as the door closed, Sparkling's heart began to rush. He began cleaning up and getting ready to go home, his heart racing as fast as his mind the entire way through.  
  
\------------------------------------------------------------  
(This part of the story is following Vampire, and not Sparkling.)  
  
"Vampire....Vampire Cookie, wake up. You need to drink something."  
  
The vampire woke up from his slumber, the feeling of the slight sunlight through the blocked windows being even too much for him at this time. He covered himself in his blankets in apparent pain as Alchemist tried to reason with him. Vampire Cookie stayed motionless as Alchemist moved the cover off of his body, his high fever rendering him almost useless. "Drink," she demanded as she held a bag of blood towards his face. "You'll never get better." The Vampire slowly picked up the bag with a shaky hand before opening it and drinking its contents. He began gasping for air as Alchemist took the now empty bag away from him. Normally, drinking quenched his thirst and left him sated. But despite drinking this, he still felt slightly nauseous and full of anxiety. Vampire Cookie began laying down back into his blankets as his fever and headache left him unable to sleep. As his delirious mind wandered, he began to recall the events that took place just barely yesterday. When he'd passed out in the streets, and Sparkling Cookie went out of his way to save him. Come to think of it, wasn't this exactly what he wanted? For Sparkling to acknowledge him in a way other than just being a patron to him? Why did he want it exactly?  
  
He shuddered. Vampire knew exactly why he'd wanted Sparkling to notice him, after all. He'd been in love with him for well over half a year, and made sure to visit him almost every day. To the point where the one time he couldn't visit him, the one time he absolutely wasn't in the shape to go out, he risked injury to do so. Just like every other day. But...that slip of the tongue earlier may have blown his chances. What would Sparkling even think if he found out that someone like Vampire actually loved him? Let alone wanted to date him...? Vampire huddled further into his blankets in discomfort. He'd only seen Sparkling Cookie react slightly to his slip of the tongue, so it surely couldn't have been that terrible. The cookie made up his mind. He would confess to Sparkling Cookie the moment he began to feel cured of his ailment. Alchemist Cookie walked back into Vampire's bedroom, a flask full of pink liquid in her hands. She threw the blankets off of Vampire Cookie, who reacted in distress. "Chug this, it's medicine. It'll get you better sooner." The alchemist passed the flask to Vampire Cookie, who reluctantly held it up to his mouth and began to drink. The flavor was almost sickeningly sweet as the mixture went down his throat. Yet again, he gasped for breath as he finished the mixture and handed the empty bottle over to Alchemist Cookie. Alchemist walked out as Vampire Cookie began to lie down yet again, leaving his planning for later as he tried to drift off to sleep.  
  
  



	3. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ``Those words he had yearned for yet dreaded all this time had finally been uttered by the person he'd loved the most yet hated the most. And he didn't know how to react.``
> 
> Sparkling Cookie and Vampire Cookie finally confront each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, yall like angst? the ending is a bit rushed bcuz i gotta eat dinner soon sorry
> 
> Anyways this chapter has lots of it, have fun

2 in the morning.  
  
Vampire Cookie scrolled through his phone, his head pounding. He doesn't remember the last time he'd had blood to drink, let alone grape juice. Everyone in his contacts were offline, presumably sleeping...he sighed. The only people he'd spoken to in the last week or so had been Alchemist Cookie and Sparkling Cookie, so it was no wonder he'd been so lonely. The vampire reminisced over the day Sparkling had saved him from burning up, the feeling of being carried by him, the idea that Sparkling Cookie genuinely cared about him. It was rare for him to care about something this much, let alone care about something at all. And if he were gonna try to win Sparkling Cookie's heart, he'd put all his effort into it. Vampire Cookie's brainstorming was interrupted by the feeling of intense thirstiness. Vampire Cookie exited his bed, leaving his phone on the bedsheets. He began looking around for something, anything that wasn't whatever Alchemist Cookie had been feeding him for the past week. He'd had enough of that. Vampire made his way to the kitchen, his thirst growing with every step. He really shouldn't have put this off for so long, knowing he probably could've requested Alchemist bring him some. And then he looked in the cabinet.  
  
  
Nothing. There was nothing in the cabinet that would properly satisfy his thirst. Why hadn't Alchemist restocked?! Normally Vampire would restock on blood and grape juice when he were running low, but he were very sick, and couldn't do so. But it was 2 in the morning, he was incredibly thirsty, and there was no way for him to possibly get blood. The only possible way would be to get it from someone else, but...  
  
  
The vampire walked back to his room, and picked up his phone. He began scrolling through his contacts once again, the contacts all stating the same thing: offline. Except for one. Sparkling Cookie's contact read "online", much to Vampire Cookie's excitement. But would it be right to contact him, at this hour? He knew the bartender would be awake at such a time, but he'd most likely be working. Calling him would surely cause a ruckus at the bar, and it would be his fault. But Vampire was ever so lonely, and the thirst was beginning to gnaw at his mind. He decided to play it safe, and simply send him a text, hoping it wouldn't cause problems for Sparkling Cookie. He began typing on his phone until his thoughts were properly conveyed in a short and simple message. Vampire Cookie hesitated before hitting send, and set his phone down hoping that it didn't inconvenience Sparkling Cookie, hoping for a notification.  
  
______________________________________  
  
Sparkling Cookie sighed in boredom.   
  
  
It had been a solid 30 minutes since a patron entered the bar. He should be used to this, considering there's always a period during his job where nobody seems to enter. At times like this, he likes to relax a bit and ponder the random thoughts that came to his mind, clinging onto something to do. But lately, he'd been doing the exact opposite during these times. His mind had been flooded with thoughts about Vampire Cookie, and as a result, he'd been doing anything but thinking. Sparkling Cookie would spend tons of time nitpicking spots and cleaning them, and making sure every second of his time was spent doing anything but thinking about Vampire Cookie. Even still, some thoughts slipped through the cracks of the emotional barrier he had built up. He knew it was inevitable, and yet he still tried to stop it-  
  
*ding*  
  
  
Sparkling heard the familiar sound of a notification come from his pockets. Checking to see if nobody had entered, he pulled the phone out of his pockets and opened it, not being sure what to expect at this hour. His heart sank upon seeing who the message were from. The emotional barriers he had built up over to protect himself were beginning to crack more and more. He couldn't just ignore Vampire Cookie's texts, seeing as Sparkling still loved him and desired to spend time with him. But the feeling of love was too terrifying for Sparkling to handle properly. Sparkling wasn't used to love at all. He were only used to hate, and apathy, and silent suffering. And while love was a good feeling, it was also foreign, and unfamiliar, and undeniably terrifying for him. Sparkling Cookie reluctantly clicked Vampire's message and began to read.  
  
  
"Hi sparkling. lonely. are you available"  
  
  
The bartender stared at the message Vampire had sent to him. Normally Vampire Cookie's texts conveyed his attitude, relaxed and nonchalant. But to the bartender, this text seemed cold, distant. He could tell something was wrong, quite clearly. And so, instead of ignoring it or lying about work, he decided to respond. He began typing, his hands a bit shaky from the sudden shock he had experienced just a moment before. As experienced as Sparkling Cookie was with talking, he seemed to struggle to compose a proper text message. After a solid minute straight of typing and deleting, he'd finally managed to make a proper text message, one that would adequately explain things to Vampire Cookie while keeping his texting style calm and charismatic, just like himself. The bartender hit send, and then set his phone on the counter of the bar.  
  
  
Sparkling Cookie inattentively looked at the clock near his position at the bar. 4 in the morning, going on five. He'd been standing there for at least 3 hours, with no patrons to serve. The counter of the bar had been wiped clean countless times by now, as well as the messages checked. Deep down, Sparkling wished for Vampire to respond. Sparkling wished for Vampire Cookie in general, now that he thought about it. He wanted everything about him, yet dreaded him at the same time. Sparkling Cookie leaned on the counter of the bar and buried his head in his hands as he sighed, defeated and exhausted. Sparkling Cookie had no clue how long he'd been in that position when he heard the familiar jingle of the door opening. Almost instantly, he'd moved from his defeated position to his generic standing position, greeting the patron before he even saw them. As he opened his eyes, the feeling of dread began to set in almost instantly. The familiar shade of red...no doubt about it, it was Vampire Cookie. But what was Vampire doing out at this time, let alone while sick? Sparkling knew Vampire had been recovering from his ailment due to Alchemist's text messages, but he didn't expect him to show up this quickly. The normally insouciant and happy expression on Vampire's face had been replaced with an unfamiliar expression, with Vampire's eyes filled with gloom and mouth morphed into a frown. The vampire took a seat in the seat closest to Sparkling's location.   
  
  
"...Is there anything I can get yo-"  
  
Before Sparkling could finish his sentence, Vampire spoke up, his voice raspy and downtrodden. "One glass of wine. Please." The vampire didn't even bother to say anything extra as he pulled the money out of his pockets and attempted to hand it to Sparkling Cookie. Sparkling appeared concerned for Vampire as he turned down the money, muttering a brief "No, this one's on the house," rather quietly. As Sparkling Cookie prepared the glass of wine, he began to question Vampire Cookie.  
  
  
"Vampire, how'd you get here if Alchemist was most likely asleep?"  
  
  
"I snuck out."  
  
  
"When's the last time you slept...? You look tired."  
  
  
"I don't remember."  
  
  
After it became increasingly obvious to Sparkling Cookie that he wasn't getting a conversation out of Vampire any time soon, he stopped talking. The bartender prepared the wine in silence and handed it to Vampire Cookie, who quickly began to sip it down. Sparkling noticed Vampire Cookie perk up slightly after drinking it all down and took the empty glass from his hands. He had no problem with Vampire Cookie as a patron. He'd been used to it by now after all, and it's easier to interact with someone when the situation's more familiar. As Sparkling set the glass aside to wash later, he heard Vampire Cookie utter something.  
  
  
"Sparkling Cookie, there's something I really have to say."  
  
  
Sparkling turned around, his curiosity and fear running rampant at the same time. The bartender's expression displayed slight terror for a split second before he hid it behind an expression of interest. He nodded at Vampire, giving him the go-ahead.  
  
  
"Sparkling Cookie, this has been on my mind a lot, and...I just couldn't sit around anymore. I have to let you know." The vampire sighed. "I...love you. I love you a lot, more than words can express. Please, _please_ say you feel the same...I've loved you since we met, all those years back. And I'm sorry for not saying it any sooner.  
  
  
Sparkling Cookie froze. Those words he had yearned for yet dreaded all this time had finally been uttered by the person he'd loved the most yet hated the most. And he didn't know how to react. He paused again, a small blush appearing on his shocked expression. What would he even do in this situation? This terrifying situation that he yearned for the most? The bartender opened his mouth to speak, and nothing came out. He knew he loved Vampire, but he just couldn't bring himself to say it, to admit he truly cares for someone. So he said the only thing he knew how to say.  
  
" **N-no. I don't feel the same way...** "  
  
Sparkling closed his eyes and let all the fears he had spew out of his mouth, tears forming at the edges of his eyes.  
  
  
"...I don't feel the same. I don't feel the same at all. I...I hate you!"   
  
  
"I don't like you at all! Because you're worthless...! All you do is drink wine all day, and nothing else! Why did you sacrifice your own health for me?! Why, Vampire?!"  
  
  
Sparkling Cookie opened his eyes and stared Vampire Cookie in the face. Immediately, he realized he'd made a mistake. The only thing audible in the room was Vampire Cookie's almost silent crying. Sparkling Cookie felt himself beginning to break down, as well. He'd known everything he said was false, complete lies. And yet he said it anyway. Out of fear of breaking his own heart, he broke the heart of the person he'd loved the most. And he couldn't take it back. He felt the warm tears begin to stream down his face as Vampire Cookie left his chair and exited the building, knowing full well he'd just blown his only opportunity. Sparkling Cookie sank beneath the bar and huddled into a corner, his knees close to his chest. Only then, did he truly break down. His pants were stained with tears as he sobbed, the knowledge that he'd pushed the only person in his life away being too much to handle...  
  
_______________________________________________________  
  
  
  
Alchemist Cookie paced through her house, the clock just beginning to hit the thirty-minute mark. Five thirty in the morning, and Vampire was nowhere to be seen. Vampire Cookie opened the door, only to immediately slam it shut, much to Alchemist's surprise. "Vampire! Where have you bee-"  
  
  
Alchemist paused her ranting as she witnessed her brother absolutely break down into tears, his only response being violent sobbing. She'd never seen him like this before...did he get hurt? She couldn't see any marks on him, so most likely not. She only knew what had happened when Vampire bawled between his violent crying.  
  
  
"Sparkling, I...he...He hates me...!"  
  
  
As Vampire Cookie ran off, Alchemist stood there in shock before pulling out her phone. Sparkling Cookie's contact stated he was offline, but Alchemist ignored that. Offline or not, she wanted answers. And so she called him, twice. The first time, Sparkling Cookie didn't answer. But the second time, he did.  
  
"Hello? Did you do something to Vampire? He's been sobbing a-"  
  
  
Alchemist was interrupted yet again by Sparkling Cookie. It was incredibly apparent that he too, was crying.  
  
  
"If...*sniff*"  
  
  
"If this is about Vampire Cookie, don't ask me about it. I don't wanna talk about it."  
  
  
*click*  
  
  
Alchemist stared at the phone in disbelief. What did those two do...? Something happened here, something very grim indeed. She just didn't know what had occurred.


	4. Alchemist's Annoyance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alchemist has had enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahaha, sorry for it taking so long, I was procrastinating! Please enjoy the chapter!

Alchemist Cookie paced through the lonely halls of her house.  
  
  
It had been two days since Vampire Cookie had come home sobbing, and she still had no clue why. The only thing she knew was that something had gone horribly wrong, considering he hadn't left his room since. His constant crying had gotten old very quickly, and she was sick of it being audible through his walls. Had it not interrupted her studies, she would've let him cry like that. But her patience was beginning to run thin with him, and so she began to attempt to figure out what had happened. The alchemist opened her phone and began scrolling through her contacts. If anyone knew what had happened on Sparkling's side of the story, it had to be Herb Cookie. The gardener was known for visiting him often, so it would make sense that he'd have a clue on what had happened. It's not like she had any other options, after all. Alchemist sighed before ringing Herb Cookie's phone.  
  
  
"...Hello?"  
  
  
"It's me, Alchemist. Listen, I need-"  
  
  
"Oh, hi Alchemist! We haven't talked in so long! How have things been going? Do you need more plants for your experiments-"  
  
  
"No, No."  
  
  
Alchemist Cookie hesitated before beginning to explain. She couldn't just end the call without getting vital info on the situation.  
  
  
"...Have you seen Sparkling Cookie in the past two days? Something happened, and...."  
  
  
The alchemist's voice faltered as the silence coming from the speaker became more and more apparent. She stood there in silence, the only sound in the house being Vampire's distant, muffled crying. As she began to wonder if Herb had no info, the gardener began to speak. She had noticed his tone of voice change from upbeat to considerably worried.  
  
  
"Oh, Sparkling Cookie...yes, I have seen him. But he's been really miserable as of lately. I tried to ask him what was wrong when we were alone, but..." Herb Cookie paused, the sadness in his voice quite apparent by now. "He broke down. He cried so hard that I could barely hear what he was saying...I feel bad for him. The bar was closed yesterday, and I'm worried..."  
  
  
Alchemist began realizing. What had happened to Vampire must have been related to whatever happened to Sparkling Cookie! Surely, Herb Cookie would know more about this situation! And obviously, the two could fix this mess, and Alchemist could get back to her studies without that nuisance-  
  
  
"...Are you there?"  
  
  
Alchemist paused as she realized she'd been silently brainstorming for a considerable amount of time, enough for even Herb to notice. She began speaking rather quickly, in an attempt to get her plan out.  
  
  
"Herb, I need you to come over to my house right now. It's important and related to Sparkling, and I need your assistance. Come over, asap."  
  
  
"Well, I guess I'll come over...Can you just explain everything when I get there? I'm not far away, and I need to water my plants soon..."  
  
  
*click.*  
  
  
Alchemist Cookie silently cheered, excited that her plan had worked. Herb would be here any minute now, and then her plan could be set into motion. But first, she had to get something else out of the way. Alchemist began running down the hallway, and towards Vampire Cookie's room. Alchemist kicked open the door to his room and began to wildly rant as Vampire reacted in shock. The vampire only had a moment to stand up before Alchemist grabbed his arm and began dragging him out of the room. It was apparent that Vampire Cookie had been crying, considering he had a few tears still dripping down his mournful face. Alchemist ignored his drunken and depressed muttering as she continued running through the hallway, until she reached the entrance of the house. "Wait here", she demanded. Vampire Cookie obliged as he sat down in a nearby chair, his body stiff as a board as he curled up. Alchemist Cookie began running towards the kitchen, where she grabbed a glass of ice water before running back to Vampire Cookie. "Drink this, this whole situation started because you were dehydrated. And stop drinking wine, you're dead drunk right now." As Alchemist waved the water in front of his face, she'd realized she'd made a mistake as Vampire began whimpering, before bursting into tears. She set the water on a nearby table before trying to comfort Vampire Cookie, who was still crying. "Wait, Vampire! It's not entirely your fault! You ran out of blood to drink! And I refused to get more!" Alchemist's empty words of encouragement were nothing towards Vampire Cookie's constant sobbing. Alchemist's excuses stopped as the door to the house opened, and a familiar face entered.  
  
  
"...Hello? You called me over for something."  
  
  
Both Alchemist and Vampire stared at Herb for a solid 3 seconds before Alchemist reacted in a hurry. "Yes, I did! Follow me," she exclaimed. Alchemist grabbed Herb's arm and began running down the hallway yet again, much to Herb Cookie's confusion. "And stay there, Vampire!" she added as she continued sprinting down the hallway. The two ducked into a spare bedroom of the house, catching their breath for a moment before continuing.  
  
  
"I think I know what happened with Sparkling. It involves Vampire, though. He visits Sparkling's bar every day, so something must've happened between the two that caused this mess. I think it started when Vampire passed out from dehydration on the street, about a week and a half ago. Herb, what was Sparkling Cookie like after that?"  
  
  
"Well...he was really tired. And kinda stressed, apparently...He refused to tell me why, though. The most he told me was that something personal had happened, so I felt bad for him."  
  
  
"Ah. Vampire said he'd visited because he cared about Sparkling. I thought they were only friends...I guess I was wrong." Alchemist ignored Herb Cookie's confusion on that statement.  
  
  
"So anyway, I think I know what happened. Vampire got rejected by Sparkling, in some kind of horrific form. But considering what you said about Sparkling, it could be the other way around. Either way, we need to fix this. I'm sick of hearing Vampire through the walls."  
  
  
Herb, as predicted, reacted in confusion. "We...? I don't think I understand completely."  
  
  
"You want to comfort Sparkling, I want to stop Vampire from drinking himself to death and annoying me. So, let's work together. Deal?" Alchemist smirked as she held her hand out. Herb reluctantly shook hands with the Alchemist, muttering "Deal" quietly. Alchemist gripped his arm again, giving Herb Cookie only a moment to react as she began running. "Okay, let's get to work! To the bar," she exclaimed, a smile on her face. This was met with Herb protesting her antics, of course. "Wait, I don't even know if it's open!" Alchemist ignored Herb's protests as she ran down the hallway and towards the door. Before leaving, she let go of Herb in order to snatch a glass of wine out of Vampire's hands. "Stop drinking! You're already drunk!" She yelled as she slammed the glass on a nearby table before grabbing Herb once again and leaving the house, slamming the door with a loud thud.  
  
  
Alchemist had run all the way down the street before Herb Cookie spoke up. "Shouldn't you treat him nicely if he got rejected?" Herb had protested once again, and Alchemist finally answered. "Yeah, but he's done nothing but drink and cry all day. Of course, I had to remove that glass from his hands." The two caught their breath as they waited for a few cars to pass, before crossing the street together. "Do we even know if Sparkling's bar is open?" "Surely it's open! The sun's setting, and the bar opens around that time!" The two continued to run down the street, Sparkling's bar getting closer and closer. "Herb, we're almost there!" Alchemist yelled as she began running faster, before...  
  
  
"SPARKLING'S BAR (CLOSED)"  
  
  
"똥!"  
  
  
Alchemist Cookie voiced her displeasure as she stomped on the concrete angrily. "Woah, watch it on the language-" Herb's concerns were interrupted by Alchemist Cookie stomping again as she yelled, "My plans are ruined!" The two argued outside of the bar for at least 2 minutes before the door creaked open. Inside the bar was a very, very tired looking Sparkling Cookie, who began politely asking the two to stop talking so loudly. Alchemist paused before frantically begging Sparkling for an invitation inside, stating that it was business-related. Sparkling Cookie hesitated, before sighing and letting them in.  
  
  
The duo entered the dimly lit bar before sitting in a chair. Sparkling Cookie took a chair from another table and dragged it towards the table of the duo.  
  
  
"...I'm presuming you're here to ask about Vampire Cookie."  
  
  
Sparkling Cookie sighed.  
  
  
"Well...It's a long story. But I'll explain. I'd lost sleep over Vampire, and I was scared of feeling, and..."  
  
  
Sparkling Cookie paused in an attempt to hold back tears. Alchemist continued listening while Herb tried to make an attempt to console the bartender.  
  
  
"When he said he loved me, I didn't know what to do, and...I said I hated him, even though I love him...He ran off. I ruined everything..."  
  
  
Sparkling covered his eyes with his hands as his elbows rested on the table. Herb gasped audibly before trying to console Sparkling again.   
  
  
"Don't worry, Sparkling. Alchemist said she'd try to fix this all. You still love him, right?" Sparkling nodded, still holding back tears. This made Herb smile, as he tried to be optimistic. "I know you made a mistake, and that's okay! We'll talk this over with Vampire Cookie, and make things right. Right, Alchemist?" Herb Cookie shifted his focus to Alchemist, who appeared to be brainstorming silently for a moment before answering Herb and Sparkling. "Yeah! Me and Herb are going to fix everything, okay?" Alchemist Cookie's optimistic rambling was interrupted by Sparkling Cookie slumping over in his chair, much to Herb Cookie's worry. "Oh dear, are you okay?" Herb got up from his chair in an attempt to help the bartender before being pushed away by him. "Don't worry...tired. Please leave. Thank...s..." Sparkling Cookie muttered as he attempted to stay awake in the presence of others. Herb and Alchemist waved goodbye before leaving the bar, making sure to push their chairs in before leaving.  
  
  
"Welp, that went strangely well. Want me to walk you home, Herb?"  
  
  
"No, thanks. I can make it home by myself."  
  
  
"Okay. We'll start the second part of this plan tomorrow. I'll explain things to Vampire, and then we'll be able to relax in peace. See ya."  
  
  
The two waved as they walked their separate ways. Alchemist Cookie had been quite pleased with the turnout of today, and she couldn't wait for her to be able to do alchemy in peace. She hummed happily as she unlocked the door to her house, before opening it. The smile on her face was quickly wiped off as she stared at where Vampire previously was when she left. The glass of water had been left half full, but the glass of wine had been removed from the table. She began to question where he had gone as she closed the door and wandered around the house, looking for him. Alchemist had begun to think he'd escaped the house when she found him, lying in the kitchen. She began to fear for the worst as he laid motionless on the floor, a bit of wine lying spilled right next to him. That was when she'd realized he'd simply gotten wasted, and sighed in annoyance. As she dragged him to his bedroom, she began thinking about the positive side of things. Since he was out cold, she wouldn't have to worry about his annoying crying while doing alchemy. At least until he woke up, that is. Alchemist spent at least 20 minutes getting to Vampire's room before leaving him on the floor, assuming she wouldn't be able to place him in his coffin. As she walked back to her room at a much faster pace, she smirked at the prospect of being able to study in peace. But tonight was not the night for studying alchemy. Tonight was the night for getting ready for part 2 of her masterfully crafted plan. And so, she yawned in contentedness. If she wanted to be able to execute her plan, she'd need sleep. Alchemist Cookie began laying down in her bed as she drifted off to sleep, peacefully thinking of the things to come.


End file.
